World Today

China has unveiled new guidelines to better protect gig workers, such as deliverymen and ride-hailing drivers, a group that now numbers over 84 million people. What real changes will these measures bring? And what could this mean for China's broader labor market? Host Dou Hongyu is joined by Soo Hee Lee, Professor in Organisation Studies with the University of Kent; Mike Bastin, China observer and...

① China to grant zero-tariff access to all African countries with diplomatic ties. How will this boost African exports to China and shared development? （00:55） ② Australia FM visits China. Why now? （13:45） ③ Trump and Putin discuss Iran war and Ukraine ceasefire. What’s really on the table? （23:50） ④ China opens first cross-Bohai drone logistics route. Is low-altitude economy reshaping north...

① CPC leadership meeting calls for stronger confidence in economic work. What does this reveal about China's development momentum? (00:45) ② UAE to exit OPEC, OPEC+ from May 1st. What's next for global oil prices and energy markets? (14:10) ③ Japan's push to revise Self-Defense Forces rank titles signals military expansionist motives: Pakistani expert (24:30) ④ Brazilian president enacts Mercosur-...

① China blocks foreign acquisition of Manus project. What signal does this send? (00:46) ② Putin voices support for Iran — impact on U.S.–Iran talks?(11:35) ③ Merz criticizes U.S. strategy in Iran conflict. Where is transatlantic relations heading? (24:00) ④ CATL unveils six-minute EV battery charging. What does this mean for EV industry transformation? (34:20) ⑤ China adds 38 new university major...

① China industrial profits surge in Q1. What’s driving the momentum? (00:56) ② Framing China: Inside Western narratives on China’s poverty reduction. (11:44) ③ Japan uses AI-generated videos in China-related disinformation. What are the self-inflicted risks? (27:47) ④ Iran's foreign minister visits Russia for talks with Putin. Will U.S.-Iran negotiations resume, or is escalation continuing? (36:37...

At a half-marathon in Beijing, humanoid robots stunned spectators by outperforming the fastest human runners and dramatically surpassing last year’s robotic champion. What's behind this rapid progress in humanoid robotics in China? How will they evolve in the near future, and what could that mean to our daily lives? Host Dou Hongyu is joined by John Gong, a professor with the University of Interna...

① China and Cambodia have held their first “2+2” strategic dialogue between foreign and defense ministers. How is China-Cambodia cooperation contributing to regional peace and stability? (00:48) ② China has reported that its agricultural economy maintained steady growth in the first quarter. We explore the main contributing factors behind this resilience. (13:54) ③ China’s WeChat Pay has expanded...

① We take a look at Mozambican President Daniel Chapo’s China visit and the outlook of cooperation between the two sides. (00:55) ② Taiwan’s Lai Ching-te has canceled a trip to Eswatini after some countries denied overflight permission for his aircraft. Why are those countries justified to do so? (15:53) ③ Japan’s Sanae Takaichi has sent a ritual offering to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine. Why is t...

① In a call with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Xi Jinping says normal passage through the Strait of Hormuz should be maintained. What can China and Saudi Arabia do together to de-escalate Middle East tensions? (00:57) ② Japan has announced its biggest defense equipment export rule change in decades. What’s the danger of this move? (13:14) ③ With the development of AI, One-Person Companies (OPC) are...

① Tens of thousands of people have gathered at the parliament building in Tokyo to protest constitutional revision spearheaded by Japan’s Sanae Takaichi. Why is a remilitarized Japan a threat to regional peace? (00:55) ② Iran says there is no plan for a second round of talks with Washington. How is the US seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship complicating the situation? (15:35) ③ A humanoid rob...

The disruption around the Strait of Hormuz has posed a great threat to global energy security. The crisis is once again drawing our attention to renewable energy. According to energy think tank Ember's research, solar power growth in 2025 alone could displace gas-fired electricity equal to all liquified natural gas exported through Hormuz in the same year. Are renewable energy's benefits such as p...

① China's GDP grew by 5% in the first quarter. What's behind the growth? (00:40) ② Hong Kong market ranked first in Q1 IPO fundraising. What unique advantages does the city offer? (13:01) ③ A conversation with the speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives (25:17) ④ French lawmakers approve a bill to ease the return of looted artworks. What's the significance of it? (33:07) ⑤ Artemis II b...

① Chinese, Vietnamese top leaders hold talks in Beijing. What's the significance of the meeting? (00:42) ② China put forward a four-point proposal on promoting peace and stability in the Middle East. What does it mean to the Middle East situations? (13:07) ③ Israel and Lebanon lay out different expectations in their first direct talks in Washington. What will come next? (25:14) ③ IMF cuts 2026 glo...

① China is witnessing a new wave of high-level visits. We explore the purposes and potential outcomes of the visits. (00:44) ② China's foreign trade recorded strong growth in the first quarter. What's behind the growth? (25:31) ③ A conversation with an official of Uruguay's National Meat Institute about the China market (32:48) ④ China plans to launch an "AI Plus Education" initiative to integrate...

① The Spanish PM is on an official visit to China. What to expect? (00:43) ② Mainland has unveiled a package of policies and measures to boost cooperation across the Taiwan Strait. What does it mean to cross-Strait relations? (12:42) ③ U.S. and Iran have failed to reach an agreement following talks in Pakistan. What will come next? (24:53) ④ China's PPI returned to growth in March. What's behind t...

A global poll has found that China surpassed the United States in approval ratings of leadership in 2025, and by the largest margin seen in nearly two decades. What's driving this change? How are global attitudes toward these two major powers evolving? And what could this shift mean for policymakers, and for the future of the global order? Host Dou Hongyu is joined by Chen Weihua, former Chief Was...

① The United Nations has condemned Israel’s strikes across Lebanon. Are the strikes posing a grave risk to the fragile US-Iran ceasefire? (00:55) ② Donald Trump has renewed his criticism of NATO after a meeting with the alliance’s secretary general Mark Rutte. What could happen to NATO next? (14:54) ③ Alibaba has cooperated with China Telecom to launch a new data center featuring the tech giant’s...

① Xi Jinping has called for demand-driven growth and creating more recognizable brands in China’s services industry. We explore how this sector can strive to break new ground? (00:54) ② China’s premier has held a phone call with his Australian counterpart, calling for expanding two-way trade. Is global turbulence prompting the two sides to further strengthen cooperation? (13:02) ③ The US and Iran...

① Why is Iran rejecting a ceasefire and calling for a permanent end to its conflict with the US and Israel? (00:51) ② The White House has proposed boosting defense spending to $1.5 trillion in its 2027 budget, the largest such request in decades. What could be the consequences when the US federal government emphasizes military investments over domestic programs? (13:54) ③ How will China’s new guid...

① China’s foreign minister has held a call with his Russian counterpart to discuss the Iran war. Can Beijing and Moscow jointly push for a ceasefire and renewed diplomacy? (00:54) ② China has surpassed the US by its largest margin in 20 years in a new Gallup global approval report. Is it surprising? (14:23) ③ China estimates over 840 million passenger trips during its three-day Qingming Festival h...

From RV camping and cruise tourism to low-altitude flights, many Chinese people are not just traveling, they are traveling differently. What is driving this change? Is it simply a rebound in consumer confidence, or does it point to a broader shift in how people choose to spend? And what could it mean for local economies and China’s long-term growth? Host Dou Hongyu is joined by Professor John Gong...

①Trump addressing nation on Iran war: Is US really "winning big"? (00:45) ② Russia says Japan's missile deployment could be "more than tragic". How neighbors guard against a revival of militarism in Japan? (23:54) ③ China's high-tech industries record robust growth in Q1. What explains its economic resilience amid global uncertainty? (33:39) ④ 210 million worldwide learning Chinese as Education Mi...

① China and Pakistan unveil joint peace proposal for the Gulf and Middle East. What role can China and Pakistan play? (00:54) ② European Parliament delegation visits China for the first time in eight years. Will this visit help EU lawmakers gain a more objective understanding of China? (21:58) ③ U.S. tech giants cut jobs while doubling down on massive AI investments. What does it mean for the futu...

① World Data Organization opens in Beijing. What’s next? (00:45) ② China launches countermeasures against Japanese lawmaker for undermining China's sovereignty. How far will Japan’s far-right go in undermining regional stability? (13:35) ③ OECD warns U.S. inflation could hit 4.2% this year. How might this reshape U.S. monetary policy and recession risks? (23:01) ④ Spain closes airspace to US warpl...

① Cheng Li-wun, leader of the Kuomingtang Party, will pay a visit to the Chinese mainland. What role can Taiwan’s main opposition party play in promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties? (00:53) ② Can Pakistan and a few other nations push for a negotiated settlement between the US and Iran? (13:45) ③ Why have China’s industrial profits accelerated at the start of 2026? (25:00) ④ A ne...